Multi-purpose bulldozer blade



Aug. 18, 1959 R. Q. ARMINGTON ETAL MULTIPURPOSE BULLDOZER BLADE Filed April 20, 19.54

3 Sheets-Sheet l R. Q. ARMINGTON ET AL MULTI-PURPOSE BULLDOZER BLADE Aug.. 18, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 20, 1954 INVENTUM, Ray/MND G. RM/Norv Harm/R F? flan/varon Y Arran/wry;

All@ 18 1 959 R. Q. ARMINGTONv ETAL 2,899,760

' `MuurI-PuRPosEl BULLDOZER BLADE' Filed April 20, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 HTTONEYS United States Patent O MULTI-PURPOSE BULLDOZER BLADE Raymond Q. Armington, Shaker Heights, and Arthur P. Armington, Willoughby, Ohio, assiguors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application April 20, 1954, Serial No. 424,341

13 Claims. (Cl. 37-145) This invention relates to improvements in a material moving implement and more particularly to a multi-purpose bulldozer blade.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a back drag blade for use on a tractor with four wheel steer capable of travelling on a bias.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a push-type blade and back drag-type blade operatively connected as a unit with the blades back to back.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blade unit, as set forth in the previous paragraph, with means for positioning either of said blades in its operative position while positioning the other blade in its inoperative position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a drag-type blade laterally extendable from its mounting frame.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blade having retractable scarifying teeth operatively connected thereto so that the blade is active for cutting when moved in one direction and the scarifying teeth are active when moved in the opposite direction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bulldozer blade with a retractable rooter tooth near one end capable of being lowered into active rooting position with the blade elevated above the active area of said tooth.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bulldozer blade of the multi-purpose type having one or more of the features mentioned in the preceding paragraphs arranged in combination so as to serve as a universal implement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bulldozer blade characterized by its structural simplicity, its strong and sturdy nature, its universal operating characteristics, and its compact construction.

Other features of this invention reside in the arrangement and design ofthe parts for carrying out their appropriate functions.

Other objects and advantages of this invention'will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and description and the essential features will be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a top plan view of a tractor having the bulldozer blade of the present invention mounted on its front end;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the front portion of said tractor and bulldozer blade mounting of Fig. 1 wherein the push-type bulldozer blade is illustrated in its operative position for a rearward stroke with the scarifying teeth lowered; it being understood that the blade remains in the same position for a forward bulldozing stroke with the scarifying teeth raised;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, similar to Fig. 2, with the blade mounting frame moved to the position wherein the back drag-type blade is in its operative position;

ice

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the blade mounting frame withl the back drag-type blade partially laterally extended;

Fig. 5 is a right end view of the blade and tooth mounting frame in Fig. 1 with a rooter tooth shown in its re tracted position in the solid line position and in its activeV blade and tooth construction to be mounted on the frontof the tractor as a unit with the primary feature of this. unit being its multi-purpose utility.

The basic construction is the same as in said copending patent application. The tractor, generally shown at 10 in Fig. 1, comprises a tractor frame 10a to which is operatively connected a pair of front wheels 11, 11 and a pair of rear wheels 12, 12. This tractor has a four-r wheel drive and four-wheel steer. Each pair of wheels can be steered independently of the other pair so that it is possible to move the wheels 11 and 12 to the dot-- dash line position in Fig. l so that the tractor can travel on a bias angularly or inclined with respect to the longitudinal central axis of the tractor frame 10a.

A mounting frame 14 is located at the front end of the tractor to be used for mounting material moving blades or teeth. This frame 14 transversely extends across the longitudinal axis of the tractor and is operatively connected at opposite ends to the forward ends of rearwardly extending push beams 15, 15 at laterally spaced points. These push beams 15, 15 straddle the propelling tractor vehicle 1t). The rear end of each push beam 15 is connected by a pivot 17 to a laterally extending bracket 16 secured at its inner end to the tractor frame 10a.

A modified form of mounting frame raising and lowering construction is shown in the present disclosure. In Fig. 2, this takes the form of a projection on the frame 10a to which is pivotally connected one end of a cylinder member 19 by pivot 19a. This frame raising and lowering construction is adapted to be operated by any type of pressure lluidso as to move a piston and piston rodv 20 telescopically within the cylinder member 19 to raise and lower the mounting frame 14 since the piston 20 is pivotally connected at 20a to provide an operative connection with said mounting frame 14.

The mounting frame 14 is formed of plates welded or otherwise secured together. It includes a bulldozer mold board 23 in Fig. 2 taking the form of an arcuately bent plate having a blade edge support 23a at its lower end to which is detachably secured a bulldozer blade 30. A top plate 24 is welded to or integrally formed with a downwardly extending back plate 25 in Fig. 2 with these extending transversely across the width of the mounting frame. End plate members 26 and 27 are welded to each of the opposite ends in Fig. l with each end having an outer end member 26 and an inner end member 27 spaced therefrom. In Figs. 1, 2 and 4, there is seen a pair of hoist brackets 28,28 secured to the back plate 25 and spaced apart so as to form the aforementioned pivot 20a for the elevating hoist piston rod 20. The bulldozer blade 30, either of solid form or formed from segments, is detachably bolted to the blade edge support 23a in Figs. 1 and 2 to provide its mounting or operative connection with the mounting frame 14. This blade 30 is of the push-true operative when the tractor vehicle 10 moves in thf,l forward direction. 4

A back drag-type blade 37 is mounted on the back sidel 3,r of the blade mounting frame 14 located behind the bulldozer or push-type blade 30. The mounting frame 14 also supports this blade with this frame including a plurality ofY aligned and laterally spaced-apart guide lugs 32 and C-shaped hinges 33 in- Figs. 2V and 4 with the aligned group oflugs 32- located vertically above the hinges 33. Eachvisfweldedforotherwise secured to the back plate 25.

A- back drag-type blade mold board 35 is supported thereby by havinga continuous lug 36 and a continuous tube 38 welded to the mold'board side facing said frame 1'4. The lug 36 travels in the spaced-apart guide lugs 32fwhile the tube 38 telescopes through the spaced-apart Gfshaped. hingesf33. The-lower edge of the'mold board 3.5'4 is shaped into ablade edge support 35a to which is detachably secured the back drag-type blade 37 of either solid' or segmental formation. This back drag-type blade 37V ist operative when the tractor vehicle 10 moves in the reverse direction so as to perform back grading. It shouldfbe noted that the blades 30 and 37 are generally parallel to eachother and face in opposite directions so as to be operative when the vehicle moves in these opposite directions.

T fhis back drag-type blade 37 is operatively connected to' the mounting frame for lateral extending movement infboth directions from its central position. Both blades 304 andv 35 have approximately the same length (lateral size relative to the tractor) so that their side edges normally coincide laterally when the back drag-type blade 37Y is in its central position. However, this blade 37 may bef'extended to the left, as shown in Fig. 4, or laterally acorresponding distanceV to the right of the right-hand edge of the mounting frame'14f. The lugs 32 and 36 as well as thel C-shaped hinges 33 and tube 38 provide a sliding connection'between the mold board 35 and the rest ofl theV mounting frame 14 to permit this lateral movement.

Inf Fig. 4,.a hydraulic jack 43, 44 is shown behind the mold board 35 for laterally moving this back drag-type blade 37` laterally between these positions. I ack anchor lugsl39 on the back' plate 25 and similar lugs 40 on the mold board 35 are operatively connected together by a uid pressure operatedV cylinder 43 and piston and piston rod44, with pivotal-connectionsV formed at the outer end thereof'takingl the form of a pivot'43a on the right end ffthe' cylinder 43' and pivot 44a on-the left end of the piston' rod 44 in Fig. 4. The extension or contraction ofthe" cylinder and piston units moves the mold board 35 andits' associated-blade 37 laterally between the'extreme positions'. Since the mold board 35 and its associated blade 37 have approximately the'same horizontal width in' Fig. 4 asA the blade mounting frame 14, the lateral edges of the bladesv 30- and 37 coincide when properly centered and the mold board 35 has maximum overlap with the rest of the mounting frame 14 during lateral extension to give maximum support thereto. This lateral extendability of the blade 37 is especially desirable for ditching.

Fig. 2 illustrattes the push-type blade 30 in operative position while the back drag-type blade 37 is elevated in an` inoperative position. However, scarifying teeth 51 a'rein their downwardly advanced position in Fig. 2 only during rearward travel of tractor but are retracted upwardly (to their Fig. 3 position) during normal forwardr travel of tractor 10 and forward bulldozing by blade 30; Fig. 3 illustrates the back drag-type blade 37 lowered into its operative position while the blade 30 is inoperative during rearward travel of the tractor vehicle 10.VY Interlock means is provided for moving these blades 3'0a'nd 37 between the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 positions so that ini either one of these illustrated positions, one of the bladesV is in the inoperative position while the other is in an operative position. In the present disclosure, this takes theV form of having the mounting frameV 14, connecting the blades 30 and 37, mounted so that it can swing' around a horizontal pivotal axis. Each'pus'h' beam 15 in Fig. 1 has horizontally aligned pivots 15a and 15b formed therein with a pivot shaft 48 in Fig. 4 pivotally connecting this push beam to a bearing formed by end plate members 26, 27 and another bearing formed by laterally spaced brackets 47, 47 Welded at their forward ends to the plates of the mounting frame. Fig. 2 discloses a fluid pressure operated cylinder- 45 and piston and piston rod 46 for swinging this blade mounting frame 14 around the horizontal axis formed by pivots 15a and 15b between the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 positions. One of these cylinders 45 is located on each side ofthe mounting frame 14, at opposite sides of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. l. A pivotal type clevis connection 46a is formed at the left end of the piston rod 46 by the end plate members 26, 27 while a pivot 45a is formed at the right end of the cylinder 45 with its associated push beam 15.

Now it should be readily apparent that extending or contracting the cylinder and piston units 45, 46 will position blades 30, 37 so that at any one time one blade will be in an operative position and the other in an inoperative position. However, the mounting frame 14 keeps these blades fixed relative to each other in-a plane.V extending perpendicular to the blades (in the plane 4of the drawing in Figs. 2 and 3) so that the distance between the blades always remains constant in this plane eventhough the back drag-type blade 37 may be extendable laterally in a direction perpendicular to this plane. The horizontal pivotal axis formed by pivot 15a, 15b about which the frame 14 moves, extends perpendicular to this plane with the cylinder and piston rod units 45, 46

providing the tilting or moving meansfor the blades. and mounting frame.

As mentioned before, the tractor wheels 11 and 12 in Fig. 1 and steerable to the dot-dash line positions so that the tractor vehicle 10 can move on a bias inclined with respect to its longitudinal axis. Then, the transversely extending push-type blade 30 and back drag-type blade 37 are angularly inclined with respect to the tractor travel. When dragging the blade 37 backwardly on a bias in this manner, the blade performs the same resultas that accomplished by an ordinary road grader by having the material scraped travel sideways across the drag blade.I When the drag blade 37 is laterally extended in the man-y ner shown in Fig. 4, the outer tip of the blade is especially adapted to do ditching while the tractor travels on' a` bias.

A plurality of scarifying teeth 51 in Figs. 2, 3 and4- are movably mounted on the mounting frame 14 so that they can be extended down below the bottom of the blade 30, as shown in Fig. 2, during travel of the tractor 10 in the rearward directionto provide'a material loosening action and for being retractable above the` bottom o'f this blade 30, as shown in Fig. 3, during movement in the forward direction when the blade 30 is performing its bull-dozing operation. Of course, the scarifying teeth- S1 could be used in a similar manner with the back dragtype blade 37 so as to be extended downwardly to'pro vide the material loosening action during the forward' travel of the tractor and then be retracted above the bot-V tom of this blade during the rearward movement when the blade 37 is operative.

Each scarifying tooth'51 is telescopically mounted with"-v in an individual guide box 50, secured to the back plateL 25, with vthis box restricting the movement of its tooth' to endwise travel. A lift crank 52 is provided for moving all of the scarifying teeth 51 up or down in unison. The lift crank 52 in Figs. 1 and 4 has laterally projecting shaft portions at opposite ends fonning with the piston rod 46'` and end plate members' 26, 27 and pivots 46d, as de'- scribed heretofore, with these shaft portions being rotatably mountedin end plate members26, 27 and piston rod 46. In Figs. l, 3. and 4, lift crank 52 has rigidly secured thereto centrally along its length a' Short radial arm 5221 pivotally connected toa fluid pressure operated piston rod 54 and cylinder 55 with the piston rod 54 connected by pivot 54a to the distal end of the arm 52a and with the lower end of the cylinder 55 pivotally connected at 55a to aligned bearing holes in the hoist brackets 28, 28 by a pivot 55a located in Fig. 3 slightly below the push beam pivot 15a. The lift crank 52 has a plurality of radial arms 52b secured thereto and located longitudinally along its length with one arm operatively connected with each scarifying tooth 51 by a link 57 pivotally connected at opposite ends to its associated arm 52h and to a pivot bracket 51a on the top of its associated scarifying tooth 51. Hence, the scarifying teeth 51 may be extended downwardly to the Fig. 2 position by fluid pressure operated cylinder 55 for loosening tough soil, oil pavement, etc., on the back stroke and may be retracted to the Fig. 3 position when the tractor 10 moves forwardly and the push-type blade 30 is operative.

A rooter or stump tooth 60, shown in Figs. 5 and 6 secured to one end of mounting frame 14, may be used in felling trees and in digging out stumps. This rooter tooth 60 is also hydraulically positioned vertically between an inoperative solid line position and an operative, active or extended dot-dash line position in Fig. 5. The rooter tooth 60 is slidably mounted for generally vertical reciprocation upon suitable generally vertical ways, herein shown as a dovetail bracket 61 bolted or otherwise secured to the outside end plate member 26 in Fig. 6. A uid pressure operated jack cylinder 65 and piston and piston rod 66 are connected to jack anchor lugs 60a on the rooter tooth 60 and similar lugs 26a on the outer side plate 26 by pivotal clevis type connections 65a and 66a respectively on the cylinder and piston rod. The profile of the rooter 60 in Fig. 5 is similar to the mold board '23 with a slight overlap therebetween in Fig. 6 to keep dirt from wedging between the tooth 60 and its mounting on the end plate member 26 by the dovetail bracket 61. The forwardly extending lower edge of the rooter tooth 60 in Fig. 5 can be of a horizontal knife edge construction to cut through roots with this knife edge capable of being located about twelve inches below the bottom of the push blade 30 in the present construction.

This rooter tooth 60 is positioned at the left end (looking forwardly) of the push-type bulldozer blade 30 with this end location enabling the tractor to pass by near the tree trunk to rip out the roots before the blade 30 does the digging operation by ground engagement. When the rooter tooth 60 is extended down below the bottom of blade 30 into the dot-dash line position in Fig. 5, it is possible to concentrate all of the power of the tractor 10 thereon by decreasing excavation of the soil by any of the blades. It should be noted that the rooter tooth 60 is located approximately directly in front of one of the push beams so that this push beam backs up the extended rooter tooth 60 by a rigid construction so that the tractor 10 can exert its full power directly on the back of the rooter tooth. When the tooth 60 is not needed, it may be retracted above the bottom of the blade 30 by the pressure iluid operated jack until it has reached the solid line retracted position of Fig. 5.

If desired, wing plates can be bolted or otherwise secured to one or both ends of the mounting frame 14 with this plate extending forwardly of the mold board 23 and bulldozer, push-type blade 30 to increase the dozing capacity when it is desired to drift large loads.

During ditching operation and while performing other operations, it is sometimes desirable to tilt the blade 30 or 37 about the longitudinal axis of the tractor so that one end is lower than the other and either of two methods may be used. First, it should be clearly apparent that one of the brackets 16 in Fig. 1 could be replaced by the tilting device disclosed in the copending U.S. patent application, Serial No. 407,744, led by Arthur P. Armington on February 2, 1954, now Patent No. 2,837,-

6. 845 and entitled Tilting Device for Bulldozer Blade whenever this feature is desired. Second, supplying pressure fluid so that cylinder and piston rod units 4S, 46 on opposite sides in Fig. l in the present application are of unequal lengths will tilt the blades 30 and 37 about the longitudinal axis.

Various changes in details in arrangement of parts can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from either the spirit of this invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What We claim is:

l. In combination, a blade and tooth mounting frame for connection with a propelling vehicle with said mounting frame located near one end thereof, a blade operative when ltlhe vehicle moves in one direction, scarifying teeth movably mounted on said mounting frame for extending down below the bottom of said blade during movement in the other direction to provide a material loosening action and being retractable above the bottom of said blade during movement in said one direction, hydraulic means for raising or loweringv said scarifying teeth relative to said frame, and hydraulic means for positively holding said frame and blade xed in various adjusted angular positions about a transverse axis to control not only the cutting angle but also the elective cutting depth.

2. In combination, a blade and tooth mounting frame, rearwardly extending push beams operatively connected to said frame at laterally spaced' points with each adapted to straddle and be connected with a propelling vehicle with said mounting frame located near the front end thereof, a push-type blade operative when the vehicle moves in one direction and a back drag-type blade operative when the vehicle moves in the-opposite direction, said blades facing in opposite directions and being generally parallel to each other, both said blades mounted on said frame and xed relative to each other in a plane extending perpendicular to said blades, said mounting frame being connected to said push beams by a horizontal pivotal axis located between said blades and extending perpendicular to said plane, said drag-type blade being operatively connected for lateral extending movement in both directions from said mounting frame, hydraulic means for laterally moving said drag-type blade relative to said mounting frame, both of said blades having approximately the same lateral size so as to provide maximum overlap during lateral extension while having lateral edges coinciding when not extended, scarifying teeth movably mounted on said mounting framerbetween said blades for extending down below the bottom of said blades during movement in the other direction to provide a material loosening action and being retractable above the bottom of said blades during movement in said one direction, hydraulic means for raising or lowering said scarifying teeth, fixed vertical ways located on said frame between said blades near one end of said push-type blade,

a rooter tooth movably mounted on said ways for extending down below and for retraction above the bottom of said last-mentioned blade, said rooter tooth being located directly in front of one of said push beams so that said last-mentioned push beam backs up said extended rooter tooth, said rooter tooth when extended concentrating the power of said vehicle thereon by decreasing excavation of the surrounding soil by said blades, means for positively holding said blades in various adjusted positions about said horizontal pivotal axis so as to move one of said blades into operative position and the other blade into an inoperative position and so as to adjust the cutting depth and cutting angle of said blades, and means for raising and lowering said teeth independently of said blades.

3. In combination, a mounting frame for connection with a propelling vehicle, a push type blade and a back drag type blade operatively connected to said frame and longitudinally spaced apart, a scarifying tooth operativelyconne'cte'rr tosaidiframe and'Y located longitudinally" frmoving saidtooth into and out of digging position.

independcntly'of saidlblades.

4. In combination, a blade and toothV mounting frame* for connectionlwitha propellingl vehicle withsaid: mountingframe located near one end thereof,` a .blade operative when the vehicle movesin one direction a rooter tooth. on said mounting frame located near one endk of said blade, and means for extending said tooth beyond said blade into rooting position and for retracting said tooth intoI an inactive position to permit normal blade operationgsaidv toothfhaving a` surface generally forming anv ex? tension of the material engaging face of said blade: and f-rameiinsaidl tooth retracted position.

;,In the' combination set forth in claim 4, means overlapping the gap between said blade and tooth in said retraced positionV to prevent earth jamming therebetween.

6; In a combination, a blade mounting frame for connection with. a propelling vehicle with said mounting frame located near one end thereof, a push-type blade operative whenA the vehicle moves in one direction and a backl drag-type blade operative when the vehicle moves in the opposite direction, said blades facing in opposite directions and being generally parallel to each other, both said blades'mounted onl said frame ahead of the front end thereof and iixed relative to each other in a plane vextending' perpendicular to said blades, said mounting frame" being supported for movement about a horizontal. pivotalv axis extending perpendicular to said plane, and means. for holding said blades xed in various adjusted angularv positions about said axis so as to hold one of. saidi blades in operative position and the other blade inan inoperative position, one of said blades being opera-Y tively connected for lateral extending movement in both directions from a blade coinciding central position on saidl mounting frame, means for laterally moving said last-mentionedv blade relative to said mounting frame, both of said blades having approximately the same lateralsize so asto provide maximum overlap during lateral. extension4 while having lateral edges substantially coincidingwhen` not extended.

7. In combination, a blade and tooth mounting frame` for. connection with a propellingl vehicle with said mounting. frame located near one end thereof, two blades extending crosswise of said vehicle, one of said blades operative when the vehicle moves in one direction, the other of saidzblades operative when said vehicle moves in the opposite direction, a scarifying tooth movably mounted on said mounting frame between said blades for extension below the bottom of said blades, and means for extending and retracting said tooth.

8'. In combination, a blade and tooth mounting frame for connection with a propelling vehicle with said mounting frame located near one end thereof, a blade on said frame operative when the vehicle moves in at least one direction, generally vertical ways fixed on said frame atone lateral end thereof, a rooter tooth having a working surface for root engagement slidably mounted on said ways, said Working surface extending laterally outwardly beyond the adjacent end of said blade, and means for' loweringl sadf tooth: below; and'for raisingitl above, thelower. edge ofsaid-.bladee v v 9.v I'n combinatiorn, as set forth; in; claim; 8;, wher-eins saidlbladeiszof''a1-back.drag-type;V

10'. The combination,A asset forthzinzcl'aimrS, wherein* saidblade isfof. a bulldozer push-type;

11. Inf combination, a toothmountngframe for conf-A nection with az propelling; vehicle with said mounting, frame located near one end thereof, a', scarifying; tooth: movablyy mounted on said mounting frame' for. extending, downwardly from saidfframe'toprovide. a mater-ialtloosn ening action, generally verticalzwaysxed onsaid frame.l near. one: end: of: saidblade, a rooter.' tooth slidably" mounted on saidways beyond said one end of said blade and means for moving. one` toothindependently of the; other tooth,l lowering; saidv teeth below andA raisingsaid: teeth above, the lower edge of said blade.

12. In combination, a' pair of armsv pivotallyf connectej able to a vehicle and; having, a length to extend-to the front of saidrvehicle atblader and tooth mountinggframe; providing'the solebridging connection.l between,l saidz arms, at their forward ends, a push-type blade and a back'. drag-typev blade operatively connected tov said. frame:l and-l longitudinally spacedv apart',` and a scarilier. toothand ar rooter tooth operatively mounted on said; frame-V be.- tween said blades for movement extending belowor re,-I tractedabove saidy blades.

13.. In combination', a blade andl tooth: mountingframe for connection with alpropelling vehicle with. saidY mounti-l ing frame located. near one: endy thereof, a blade onzsaid,v frame operative when lthe-vehicle` moves inone directiong, and. a rooter tooth' on said: mounting, frame located. in,- aposition' extending laterally beyond oneend of said blade; so that. the tooth: and blade may each operate: independf ently Without. interference by the. other, said'. combinatonf including means4 for extending said; tooth generally down-'- wardly beyond said blade into rooting position. and for retracting'said toothr into an inactive position to permit normal blade operation, said tooth having a surface: generally forming an. extension of the materialengaging, base of said blade and frame in said tooth. retracted poe sition.v

References Cited in. thev file. of thisv patent UNITED STATES PATENTS- 1,457,878 Hopeld June 5, 1923i 1,775,314 Mahoney et al Sept. 9; 1930 1,856,148 Ball May 3', 1932' 2,042,196 Senz May26, 1936' 2,086,430 Parkes July 6, 1937 2,195,607 Wilson et al. Apr; 2, 1'940 2,238,094 Allin Apr; 15'; 1941 2,279,869 Houston Apr. 14, 1942 2,491,208 Price et al Dec; 1'3', 1949" 2,578,131 Gannon Dec. 11,. 1951 2,626,468 Dobrinich Ian; 27, 1953 2,674,817 Palmiter Apr. 13", 19'54" FOREIGN PATENTS 29,891/30 Australia Oct. 19, 1931 24,547/35 Australia July 22, 1936 808,694 Germany Jul-y 19, 1951 n ...du 

